Proper training on the preventive measures against COVID-19 among health-care workers is crucial for mitigating the spread of viral infection. The present study evaluated the efficacy of a brief web-based module on the practice of hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette among respective health-care workers. A comparative study was conducted with a total of 500 participants. A self-reported questionnaire was used for both pre- and post-intervention evaluation. The post-intervention assessment was conducted 1–2 weeks following the intervention. The difference in the practice of hand hygiene and respiratory etiquettes during work hours was recorded. We found that the intervention resulted in an evident difference in the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizer by the participating doctors before examining the patient. Interns showed a much higher propensity to wash their hands for at least 20 s, relative to other health-care workers. The difference between pre- and post-intervention handwashing for >5 times/day was 6.5% in females and 4.5% in males. In short, the study was able to demonstrate that a web-based health education module is an effective tool for the education and promotion of preventative measures in hospital setups, which may ultimately aid in halting the spread of COVID-19 among health-care workers.
<p>Soil organic carbon (SOC) is known to play a crucial role in soil quality. The general approach to enhance SOC is to minimise soil disturbance and ensure fresh C-inputs to the soil. However, current sustainable land management practices do not always result in an increase in SOC and are not precise enough to prescribe C-inputs to achieve a target soil C stock and management of soil quality. Recently, CNPS stoichiometry has been shown to limit the stabilised SOC pool. The aim of this study was to test CNPS stoichiometry to increase organic matter (OM) mineralization and examine the effect on soil properties following straw incorporated with supplementary nutrients in a soil incubation experiment. The objectives were to (i) quantify the dynamic change in SOC and particulate organic matter (POM) in response to straw incorporation with and without supplementary nutrients based on CNPS stoichiometry and (ii) determine if the limits of detection for visible near-infrared spectroscopy (vis-NIR) can capture short-term change in SOC and POM. Five soils (40g) varying in clay content were incubated for 12 weeks at 25&#8451; and 70 % field capacity. Soils received straw at a rate of 8 t/ha with and without supplementary nutrients (N, P and S) based on stoichiometric inputs. Vis-NIR measurements were collected for the soil samples post incubation with soil structure intact and and removed (sieved to <2 mm). Laboratory analysis of soil properties is underway. Preliminary exploratory analysis of the spectra was performed by Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Preliminary results<strong> </strong>of the PCA<strong> </strong>show that the first two principal components captured the soil variability (PC1 56.09%, PC2 36.0%) however no obvious treatment effect was observed. Further modelling work will investigate if the straw treatments with and without nutrient supplementation produced a measurable change in SOC and POM and if the dynamic change in soil carbon can be detected in the spectra using regression analysis.</p>
<p>Evidence exists for a constant C, N, P, and S content in stabilized organic carbon in soils globally. This indicates that fresh-C inputs to soil with insufficient nutrients can limit the size of the soil C pool. This study conducted an experiment to test C:N:P:S stoichiometry as a mechanism to increase the rate of organic matter (OM) mineralization following straw incorporation in soil. The objectives were to (i) determine whether straw incorporated in soil with supplementary nutrients to balance the C:N:P:S stoichiometric input would increase the rate of OM mineralization and (ii) assess the rate of OM mineralization from straw with stoichiometric nutrient input that was either N, P or S limited. Straw was incorporated in soil at a rate of 8 t ha<sup>-1</sup><sup></sup>with or without supplementary nutrients to convert a target 30% fresh C-input to SOC. Five soils with increasing silt and clay content were included in the study and incubated in an environmentally controlled chamber for 16 weeks. CO<sub>2</sub> was collected at one or more weekly intervals in a 1N sodium hydroxide (NaOH) trap, precipitated by BaCl<sub>2,</sub> and titrated with HCl to determine the CO<sub>2</sub>-C evolved. A repeated measure multivariate ANOVA is being used to determine if there were differences in CO<sub>2</sub>-C between nutrient treatments or nutrient treatments over time. Decomposition of straw was completed in 12 weeks. In three out of five soils the total CO<sub>2</sub>-C production for a straw with stoichiometrically balanced nutrients was significantly greater (<em>P</em> < 0.01) than the straw with no nutrient addition. In the soils that demonstrated a greater rate of OM mineralization with nutrient supplementation, the N, P, and S limited treatments all produced less CO<sub>2</sub>-C. Interestingly, all five soils collected for this study had a high P fertility status, yet lower CO<sub>2</sub>-C was produced in the P-limiting treatment indicating that the soil P was not immediately available during straw decomposition. In conclusion,<strong> </strong>higher rates of OM mineralization were achieved when C-input was stoichiometrically balanced. Nutrient inputs of N, P and S could maximize the soil C sequestration potential.</p>
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